A new distillery and visitor experience, a new vision for the future

When we set out to build a new brand home for The Macallan, our vision was to create a distillery and visitor experience as exceptional as the whisky itself.

Everything worth something in life usually involves risk and sacrifice – the boldness to think outside of the box and challenge traditional thinking. This mindset is at the core of everything we do. It’s why, when the idea of building a brand new distillery instead of just expanding the current facility was broached, it was deliberately considered and then embraced wholeheartedly. We saw a glimpse of what the future could be and made the decision to give The Macallan a home worthy of the spirit it embodies.

Starting from scratch gave us the opportunity to take things to a whole new level – allowing us to challenge notions of what a Scottish whisky distillery looks like and to reimagine the design in a way that’s beyond anything yet thought of. Just as with anything worth pursuing, this was an investment in our future and each aspect – from the planning, to materials, to build– was intentional. It was a decision to be bold, brave and look far beyond tomorrow.
 

No one person or company who takes pride in what they do has the luxury of easy decisions. No decision like this comes easily. We weigh every action. Everything comes from a place of integrity, from our values to our vision. So we had to be sure, and then we had to commit.

The roof is an illustration of The Macallan’s commitment to excellence: the individual components include 2,500 triangles, each of which comprises 50 different parts customised to cover and protect the unique elements of the distillery that sit underneath. We sourced our wood from Scandinavia, sanded it in Germany, shipped it to Austria for assembly and then moved to its final destination in Speyside. In each step of construction we sought out master craftsmen and women to partner with. Every detail was scrutinised.

Natural materials – local stone, timber and the living meadow roof – as well as the landscaping design not only evoke the environment and ingredients of whisky production, but also serve to provide an atmospheric journey for the visitor. A number of specialist consultants were appointed to support the interior fit out including architects Atelier Bruckner, hospitality experts Concept Bars and leading designers Modo+.